To the editor:

Christopher Hitchens noted the pitfalls of the Catholic confessional, calling it vicarious redemption (forgiven by an outside agency without taking personal responsibility). With a majority of fundamentalist Catholics on the Supreme Court, it is not surprising that lying to Congress during confirmation hearings might have been a strong possibility regarding precedent for women’s rights. After all, doing God’s work sometimes requires forgiveness, and what’s a little white lie anyway? I just wonder if absolution was granted in Latin. That would guarantee word would get to the boss. Please vote hard in November.

Michel J. Treska

Lake Placid